The Flea Strategy to Help Keep Your Pet Protected!

As summer approaches and the weather warms up, fleas will be out in full force ready to make your pet's life one big itch. It is up to you to protect your pet by being prepared with a flea strategy that will be sure to keep fleas far away. Don't wait for fleas to make their move before you take action, prevention is better and will save you and your pet from experiencing any unwanted flea troubles this summer. This month's article will give you all the information you need to help you put your flea strategy in place and keep your pet itch free.

Protect using prevention treatments

A single flea is capable of laying hundreds of eggs whilst on your pet. These eggs hatch and can develop into adults in as little as two weeks in warm conditions, therefore in a relatively short time, flea numbers can build up to tremendous numbers, which is why prevention is the number one key to avoiding a flea disaster. Check out below the top 'Spot on' and Oral Medication treatmeants to help choose the one that is best suited for your pet:

Topical 'Spot On' Treatments

Advantage - is easy to use, can be applied after bathing, safe for use on dogs and cats, and is very fast acting. Advantage crystals also fall from the pet's coat into areas where they rest a lot or their bedding where it will kill the developing flea larvae. Advantage may not last as long as other products if your pet is bathed often or swims a lot.

Advantix - is easy to use, controls ticks as well as fleas. Also repels mosquitoes so is very good for dogs in high mosquito areas. Advantix contains an ingredient which is highly toxic to cats, so should not be used where cats and dogs socialise.

Advocate - is a multi-purpose product that combines imidacloprid (Advantage) with moxidectin so it kills fleas, as well as prevents heartworm, hookworm and roundworm in dogs and cats, plus whipworm in dogs, and controls lice and ear mites in cats, and mange and lice in dogs with monthly application.

Frontline Plus - is easy to use, controls ticks as well as fleas, and is safe for use on dogs and cats. Frontline Plus is more water resistant than other meds so is good for dogs that swim a lot or are frequently bathed. Frontline Plus contains an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to kill flea eggs and larvae. Do not bathe animals for 48 hours prior to and after application.

Revolution - also has a multiple action. It is easy to use and controls some ticks as well as fleas. The main advantage of Revolution is that it also treats heartworm as well as ear mites and intestinal worms in cats. Like Advocate, Revolution eliminates the need to use separate flea and heartworm preparations each month.

Oral Medication

Nexgard - is an oral flea and tick control product that protects dogs from fleas, paralysis ticks, brown dog ticks and bush ticks for a full month. Nexgard’s one chew once a month format also simplifies flea and tick treatment, leading to a dosing regime that can become regular and easy to follow for pet owners. Nexgard stops fleas feeding within 30 minutes and kills 100% within eight hours of infestation. Nexgard also provides effective tick control within 48 hours. Nexgard can be administered with or without food, is safe to use around cats and treatment can begin on puppies from eight weeks of age who weight more than 2 kg.

Bravecto - is a chewable flea and tick control product that protects dogs from fleas, brown dog ticks, bush ticks and paralysis ticks. Fluralaner is the active substance in Bravecto and acts as an Ectoparasiticide. This results in killing of any parasites living on the skin or in the fur. Bravecto stop fleas feeding within two hours and kills 100% within eight hours of infestation; and for ticks the onset of effect is within 24 hours.

The main difference with Bravecto compared to all other treatments is that just one Bravecto chew protects your dog for three months against fleas and four months against deadly paralysis ticks.

Bravecto should be administered with food, is safe to use around cats and treatment can begin on puppies from eight weeks of age who weight more than 2 kg.

Sentinel Spectrum - is a meaty chewable tablet used for the prevention of heartworm disease, for the prevention and long term control of fleas and for the control of roundworm, whipworm, hookworm and tapeworms in dogs. Sentinel Spectrum Tasty Chews are given once a month, year round with a full meal. Sentinel Spectrum is approved for use in puppies as young as six weeks, pregnant females, breeding bitches and stud dogs.

Keep an eye on your pet's environment

A strategy pet owners often forget is to constantly be aware of where your pet is playing and who they might be socialising with. One of the most common ways for fleas to be transferred is from one pet to another. You do not want to be constantly doing your best to keep fleas away only to find the neighbour’s dog is actually the one that keeps bringing fleas back into your environment. If you are finding that fleas are outside in your backyard or surrounding areas then take action by using a Flea Spray or getting a professional pest exterminator to come and get rid of the problem.

Timing is everything

The timing of using Flea Treatment on your pet a is crucial part of your flea strategy. Firstly make sure you time it so all household pets receive treatment on the same day each month. This will be sure to guarantee sure every pet is being protected and will eliminate any chances of one pet bringing fleas into the home and then passing them onto the other. The next thing to remember is to make sure you time your treatment days sufficiently around your pet's bath time or swimming days. Most products are much more effective if your pet is kept dry 48 hour before and after a spot on treatment is applied.

Perform flea checks while grooming
A final precaution to be taken in your flea strategy is to make flea checks a part of your regular grooming routine. Try using a Flea Comb to brush your pet as this will pick up any fleas that may be hiding in your pet's fur. Also keep an eye out for flea eggs or dark specs that are stuck to the fur which are actually flea droppings.